The Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group works to help people whose rights have been violated and investigates cases involving such abuse, as well as assessing the overall human rights situation in Ukraine. The Group also seeks to develop awareness of human rights issues through public events and its various publications

The Committee on the Family and Youth Policy, Sport and Tourism is recommending that parliament reject the draft law “On an Ombudsperson for Children”.

The draft law No. 2580 was tabled by National Deputy Oleksandr Feldman and proposes to introduce the office of Representative of the Verkhovna Rada on Childrens Rights (Childrens Ombudsperson), defining his or her status, and the procedure and organizational and legal conditions for their activities. Members of the Committee are in support of increased control over observance of the rights of the child. However they think that the Constitution does not envisage the possibility of creating such an institution.

They point out that the issue of “the organization of parliamentary control over the observance of the rights of the child in this part belongs to the sphere of internal competence of the Ombudsperson and can be resolve via the institution of his or her representatives.” The members of the Committee therefore consider that the draft law can only be introduced as a draft law on amendments to the Constitution.